Rating: 
Summary: Unprecedented, Compelling, Well-Researched
Review: "Built to Last" is one of those rare non-fiction books you just can't put down. Unequivocally the best "business" book I have ever read, "Built to Last" by James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras is a compelling, thorough, well-written, unprecedented look at what it takes to "create and achieve long-lasting greatness as a visionary corporation." Unlike many current "trendy" management and "business success" books out on the market, Collins and Porras differentiate "Built to Last" by using their own six-year comprehensive, well-documented research study as the basis for further analysis.What separates "Built to Last" is that each visionary company (3M, HP, Procter & Gamble, Wal-Mart...) is contrasted with a comparison company founded in the same time, in the same industry, with similar founding products and markets (Norton, TI, Colgate, Ames...). Perhaps what I found most intriguing were some of the twelve "shattered myths" they go on to counter throughout the book: 1. It takes a great idea to start a great company
2. Visionary companies require great and charismatic visionary leaders
3. Visionary companies share a common subset of "correct" core values
4. Highly successful companies make their best moves by brilliant and complex strategic planning
5. The most successful companies focus primarily on beating the competition As a current business student with a summer internship in a "visionary company," I was amazed as their careful analysis rang true. This is one book I can highly recommend to any student, professional, or business educator looking for those not-so-subtle traits that characterize a truly visionary company.
Rating: 
Summary: The genius of the "AND" -- use his book AND his web site
Review: I listened to the audio version on my way to work. The bonus author interview at the end was the best part. It included a pitch for one of his other books "Good to Great". Jim Collins also has a web site, of the same name, that has an additional 10 non business books that he recommends. These additional resources have provided two of the next books I plan on reading.
As far as Built to Last goes, the following are some of his key concepts from this book.
1. Be a "Clock builder" instead of a "teller of time"
2. BHAGS (def in the book)
3. The "and" instead of the "or"
4. Preserve the core
5. Cult like corporate cultures
6. Stimulating progress
7. Alignment
8. All leaders die
Two other tid bits that caught my attention: The fact about how at the 18 visionary companies only 4 CEO's have ever been selected to the top spot in these organizations from outside the company. And finally the 3M example of how to effectively facilitate interaction between internal departments, by inventing a Technology Sharing Award and Technical Honor Society.
If you are a business type climbing the corporate ladder, it is worth a read. 3.5 to 4 stars
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book for Leaders
Review: Collins and Porras have provided a foundational study of the nuts and bolts of "visionary" organizations. Built to Last is a great book. I was occasionally concerned that they sometimes used materials from other disciplines (i.e., evolutionary science, symbols from Eastern religions, etc.) that had significant implications. Overall, the book is an excellent read and would be helpful for business owners, managers, non-profit leaders, and a whole range of educators and civil servants. I would highly recommend it. One will be amazed to see the impact that a few consistent priorities have had on some of the major companies. It's a worthwhile book that is backed by real data.
Paul Heier, pastor, Lifespring Church, Palm Harbor, FL
Rating:
Summary: Unprecedented, Compelling, Well-Researched
Review: "Built to Last" is one of those rare non-fiction books you just can't put down. Unequivocally the best "business" book I have ever read, "Built to Last" by James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras is a compelling, thorough, well-written, unprecedented look at what it takes to "create and achieve long-lasting greatness as a visionary corporation." Unlike many current "trendy" management and "business success" books out on the market, Collins and Porras differentiate "Built to Last" by using their own six-year comprehensive, well-documented research study as the basis for further analysis.
What separates "Built to Last" is that each visionary company (3M, HP, Procter & Gamble, Wal-Mart...) is contrasted with a comparison company founded in the same time, in the same industry, with similar founding products and markets (Norton, TI, Colgate, Ames...). Perhaps what I found most intriguing were some of the twelve "shattered myths" they go on to counter throughout the book:
1. It takes a great idea to start a great company
2. Visionary companies require great and charismatic visionary leaders
3. Visionary companies share a common subset of "correct" core values
4. Highly successful companies make their best moves by brilliant and complex strategic planning
5. The most successful companies focus primarily on beating the competition
As a current business student with a summer internship in a "visionary company," I was amazed as their careful analysis rang true. This is one book I can highly recommend to any student, professional, or business educator looking for those not-so-subtle traits that characterize a truly visionary company.
Rating:
Summary: The genius of the "AND" -- use his book AND his web site
Review: I listened to the audio version on my way to work. The bonus author interview at the end was the best part. It included a pitch for one of his other books "Good to Great". Jim Collins also has a web site, of the same name, that has an additional 10 non business books that he recommends. These additional resources have provided two of the next books I plan on reading.
As far as Built to Last goes, the following are some of his key concepts from this book.
1. Be a "Clock builder" instead of a "teller of time"
2. BHAGS (def in the book)
3. The "and" instead of the "or"
4. Preserve the core
5. Cult like corporate cultures
6. Stimulating progress
7. Alignment
8. All leaders die
Two other tid bits that caught my attention: The fact about how at the 18 visionary companies only 4 CEO's have ever been selected to the top spot in these organizations from outside the company. And finally the 3M example of how to effectively facilitate interaction between internal departments, by inventing a Technology Sharing Award and Technical Honor Society.
If you are a business type climbing the corporate ladder, it is worth a read. 3.5 to 4 stars
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book for Leaders
Review: Collins and Porras have provided a foundational study of the nuts and bolts of "visionary" organizations. Built to Last is a great book. I was occasionally concerned that they sometimes used materials from other disciplines (i.e., evolutionary science, symbols from Eastern religions, etc.) that had significant implications. Overall, the book is an excellent read and would be helpful for business owners, managers, non-profit leaders, and a whole range of educators and civil servants. I would highly recommend it. One will be amazed to see the impact that a few consistent priorities have had on some of the major companies. It's a worthwhile book that is backed by real data.
Paul Heier, pastor, Lifespring Church, Palm Harbor, FL
Rating:
Summary: Must Read
Review: This book is a must read for anyone with any kind of interest in business or running any type of organization, Collins has done a great job. This is on my all time top 10 book list and I will be reading Good to Great very soon
Rating:
Summary: Read this along with Good To Great
Review: This book will show you how to take your business from just average to great but even more importantly, make it last. Built to Last is a must read for all business people. Read this right along with Good To Great and Double Digit Growth. Take your company to unequaled growth and leave a legacy.
Rating:
Summary: Nonfiction/documentary work
Review: If You are tired of reading management books that are some fictions about how to build great company, that contain a lot of fancy drawings with bubbles, boxes and lines, bloated with buzzwords, but that has very weak/unclear/fuzzy link with the practice, then this book is for You. These guys (authors) have made a capacious 6 year methodical study project to find out why the top-performing companies in long-term perspective (long-term means they are looking at companies, not younger than about 50 years, which have been top-performes during most of their life-time) have succeeded. The study have revealed a lot of surprising facts (for example these results very clearly contradict some far-spread imaginations about good leadership). Of course the authors still create some buzzwords and stuff, but these are only to facilitate telling the story of research results. I love easy to read nonfiction books with very strong and explicit link to real world practice, and this book is on top of them. If You are acting in software development industry and are also interested in more short-term (less than 50 to 100 years of) management success, then You might want to read Detlev J. Hoch et al, "Secrets of Software Success" too -- the same review applies to it (except study project lasted for 4 years).
Rating:
Summary: Examples will get you thinking!
Review: Heard the taped version of BUILT TO LAST by Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras, a research study that looked at what made certain "visionary companies" special when compared to others who were "successful but second rank" . . . thus, Disney was compared to Columbia Pictures, Ford to GM, etc. The comparisons made the material real for me . . . there were lots of examples, and they helped me see that the key to the success of any organization is not just its leader . . . to quote the authors: The key point is that a visionary company is an organization--an institution. All individual leaders, no matter how charismatic or visionary, eventually die; and all visionary products and services--all "great ideas"--eventually become obsolete. Indeed, entire markets can become obsolete and disappear. Yet visionary companies prosper over long periods of times, through multiple product life cycles and multiple generations of active leaders. Why that is so is because they did not fall susceptible to the myths that too many other companies buy into, such as: 1. It takes a great idea to start a company.
2. Visionary companies require great and charismatic visionary leaders.
3. The most successful companies exist first and foremost to maximize profits.
4. Visionary companies share a common subset of "correct" core values.
5. The only constant is change.
6. Blue-chip companies play it safe.
7. Visionary companies are great places to work, for everyone.
8. Highly successful companies make some of their best moves by brilliant and complex strategic planning.
9. Companies should hire outside CEOs to stimulate fundamental change.
10. The most successful companies focus primarily on beating the competition.
11. You can't have your cake and eat it too.
12. Companies become visionary primarily through "vision statements." I'd recommend this book to anybody working in business--or who someday aspires to do so . . . it will make you think.
| 
